Arles

For many the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh come to mind when speaking of Arles. It’s the town where the famous painter’s masterpiece, Café terrace at night, was done. Van Gogh died just a couple of years after his time here (1888 to 1889) at the age of 37, but the café still honours his work and enjoys a herd of tourists all year ’round.

Arles is also famous for it’s Roman ruins, in particular the old ampitheatre where concerts, events, and the controversial bull fighting take place. Since the 1970s there’s also a well-attended Photography festival that takes place every Summer (July – Sept).

If coming from Cotignac, it’s best to combine a visit to Arles with a stop over at St Remy, a smaller but more quaint and easy-to-walk-around town and shopping is fabulous. Arles is bigger, more of a city, and a little more crowded too but either you can spend a night in one of the other towns or do both towns in one day if you’re on a tight schedule.